HISTORY OF ROSE HILL CEMETERY

Rose Hill Cemetery, formerly known as Ray’s Cemetery is located in Section 15 on Cemetery
road just west of Shabbona road north of the town of Shabbona.

The original cemetery was platted by Shubal T. Armstrong for John Ray:

 “State of Illinois)

Dekalb County) ss I Shubal T. Armstrong Co. Surveyor aforesaid County hereby certify that at
the request of John Ray I did lay out a cemetery as shown in above plat following described track
of land situate in the NW 1/4 Sec 15 Town 38 Range 3 E 3 P. M. to—wit:

Commencing at 491 75/100 feet West of 1/4 cor between Sec 10 & 15 and said town & range
and running thence West 358 feet, thence South at right angle 152 feet, thence East 358 feet,
thence North 152 feet to place of beginning and that the above plat is a correct copy from field
notes of said survey and that I placed granite stone 1512.9- 4 feet North from NW corner of
Block 15 also trop stone 4 feet North from NE cor Block 1 as future surveys. Given under my
hand this 12th day of December 1875.

Shubal T. Armstrong
Co. Surveyor”

“State of Illinois)
Dekalb County) ss :     I John Ray certify that I am the owner of in fee simple aforesaid plat and
that at my request this was to be laid out as shown and I believe the above plat to be correct and
I hereby dedicate to the public the alleys shown. Given under my hand and seal this 15th day of
December 1875.

John Ray”

“State of Illinois)
DeKalb County) ss    I Martin N. Allen a Notary Public in and for said county and State hereby
certify that John Ray personally known to me to be the same person who signed the accompanying
certificate and personally acknowledged he signed the same freely and voluntarily and for the use
and purposes therein mentioned. Given under my hand and Notarial seal this 15th day of
December 1875.

Martin N. Allen Notary Public
seal Sycamore

Dekalb Co., Illinois Filed for record February 29, 1876 at 3 pm E.   F. Dutton Recorder.”
Additional records filed November 22, 1877. Bk 61 pg 521.

After Mr. Ray’s death February 21, 1892, the cemetery became the property of an association
and was then called Rose Hill Cemetery.

“On April 4, 1904, a Charter was granted by the State of Illinois to the Rose Hill Cemetery
Association. The petitioners names in the charter were:

                                                        John W. Middleton                        M. L. Stevens
                                                        Reuben Challand                        Charles Stein
Misc. Bk E  pg 324.”                        W. F. Heeg                        William Van Velzer.

On January 3, 1905, the Association Board purchased additional land from Reuben Challand
which consisted of 374 feet long by 132 feet wide for $250.00 per acre. At this time they also
acquired an 8 foot road on the West and East side of the cemetery.

Mr. and Mrs. Howard Mullins deeded the Association a parcel of land 52 feet wide and 414
feet long with no charge to the Association on 3anuary 15, 1952.

On April 5, 1960, the Rose Hill Association Board deeded the cemetery property, along with
the two other cemeteries, to the Township to be supported by taxes as the perpetual care money
was not enough to properly care for the cemetery. 

(Ref: Shabbona Centennial 1972 pg 64.)